Standard Plan Updates

We no longer support keyless access (any request that doesn't include an
API key). Future product updates are only available for
requests made with an API key.

We have implemented a simple 25,000 map loads per day free limit
for new Google Maps JavaScript API, Static Maps API, and
Street View Image API implementations. The rolling 90-day grace
period for existing applications is being retired on October 12, 2016.

For apps created on or after June 22, 2016

All new domains or Google API Console projects created on or after
June 22, 2016, are subject to the updated policies and limits, as
described above and on our Pricing and Plans page,
with the following exceptions:

New implementations of apps using the Maps JavaScript API,
Static Maps API, or Street View Image API may
exceed the 25,000 map loads per day free limit until
October 12, 2016.

After October 12, 2016, if your app exceeds the 25,000
map loads per day free limit, the API will cease to function for the rest of the day,
unless you enable billing to access higher daily quota.

If you have already enabled billing for Maps JavaScript API,
Static Maps API, or Street View Image API,
and you exceed the 25,000 map loads per day free limit, you will
not be charged for excess map loads until after October 12, 2016.

For apps created before June 22, 2016

All existing active domains and applications created before June 22, 2016, have been
grandfathered. See below for specific details.

Keyless access

Active domains created before June 22, 2016, continue to be able to access the
Google Maps JavaScript API, Static Maps API, and
Street View Image API without an API key. They are not affected
by keyless access being unavailable for new domains.

For the Google Maps Geocoding API, Directions API,
Distance Matrix API, Elevation API,
and Time Zone API, keyless requests now have a shared global
quota which has been set to ensure existing applications do not break. We do not
intend to raise this quota limit in the future and advise all developers to use
a key in order to guarantee their quality of service. Applications that continue
to make keyless requests may experience some periodic service degradation if other
keyless applications' usage spikes and draws down the global quota.

90-day rolling grace period for map loads in excess of 25,000 per day

For customers with active domains created before June 22, 2016, who are already paying
for daily quota above the free limit for Maps JavaScript API,
Static Maps API, or Street View Image API:
you are not impacted by this change.

For customers with active domains created before June 22, 2016, who are exceeding
25,000 map loads per day using Maps JavaScript API,
Static Maps API, or Street View Image API,
but not currently charged for overages: you are not subject to billing until
October 12, 2016. After October 12, 2016, these domains will be charged for map loads
in excess of the 25,000 free daily limit, if you have billing enabled. If you choose
not to enable billing and you exceed the daily limit, map loads above 25,000 will
receive an error and the API will cease to function for the rest of the day.

If you are a customer with active domains created before June 22, 2016, with more
than 80,000 daily map loads using Maps JavaScript API,
Static Maps API, or Street View Image API,
you can continue to buy quota up to your current (as of June 22, 2016) maximum daily
usage plus 25%. This exception enables you to continue using the Standard Plan even
if you exceed the new Standard Plan maximum purchasable daily limit of 100,000 map
loads, until your usage grows by over 25% of your maximum daily usage.

Client-side web service requests quota grant

Web services requests are free up to 2,500 requests per day, now calculated as the
sum of client-side JavaScript queries and web service API server-side queries.
Customers with active domains created before June 22, 2016, who are using the
Google Maps JavaScript API to make client-side services requests to the
Google Maps Geocoding API, Directions API,
Distance Matrix API, or Elevation API,
are granted free client-side quota on that web service API equal to your current
(as of June 22, 2016) maximum daily usage plus 25%. This means you will not have
to start paying for client-side requests on that API until your daily usage grows by
more than 25%. You still need to pay to make more than 2,500 server-side requests per
day, as was the case prior to this change.

Enabling billing

To enable billing and unlock higher quotas for the Google Maps APIs,
we'll guide you through the Google Developers Console to complete a few tasks:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I'm included in the pre-update grandfathering?

If you were using Google Maps APIs before June 22, 2016, check the documentation above
to see how you will be impacted. Google is also proactively emailing potentially-impacted
developers that use an API key. For domains making requests without an API key, we are
attempting to contact potentially-impacted developers when we are able to determine contact
information, but we will not be able to reach everyone.

Are there existing Standard Plan customers who are not being grandfathered?

In general, as of June 22, 2016, customers whose current usage falls within the new limits
are now subject to the new limits. Customers whose current usage exceeds the new limits
are grandfathered.

Some specific examples:

Domains that are currently using keys will not be whitelisted for keyless access.
You must continue to use API keys with your current and future apps.

Customers with Standard Plan usage less than or equal to 80,000 daily queries/map loads
are not grandfathered to allow a maximum daily usage of greater than 100,000 on the
Standard Plan.

Customers using JavaScript services and/or web service APIs, with less than or equal
to 2,000 requests per day (calculated as the sum of client-side and server-side queries)
are not grandfathered to have a free limit higher than the default 2,500 free queries
per day.

Is the Places API web service changing?

The Places API web service continues to be free up to the 150,000 queries-per-day limit
(if verified by credit card), now calculated as the sum of client-side JavaScript queries
and web service API server-side queries. Learn more about
Places API usage limits.

If I activated my account after June 22, 2016, am I required to enable billing?

No. However, if you do not enable billing, your account is limited to the free quota
amounts. Learn more about free and paid quotas.

What happens if I don't have billing enabled but I exceed my daily map load quota?

What happens if I have enabled billing but go over the new daily maximum of 100,000 map
loads in a day?

If you are not included in the pre-update grandfathering, map loads in excess of 100,000
will fail for the rest of the day. An error message points you to the
Standard Plan usage limits page. We suggest you
contact sales.

When does the clock reset for the calculation of the daily quota consumption?

Midnight Pacific Time.

I want to change the domain I'm using. Can I keep previous domain grandfathering?

No. We will not add new domains to the whitelist after that list is created. If you
switch to a new domain, your new domain is covered by the new rules.

When will Google require me to use a key if I've been grandfathered as a keyless domain?

There is no defined deadline for those who do not use keyed access. Since we have no
easy way to contact all keyless developers, we have no immediate plans to turn off
grandfathering for existing keyless domains. However, we do encourage customers to use
a key so we can protect your quota and contact you in the case of service announcements.

My nonprofit organization needs quota for a website or application. What can I do?

There is a program for US nonprofit organizations. If you need more than the Standard
Plan free quota, please review the following resources: